Process of hardening copper.



UNITED Sra'rns nines.

STANLEY L. \VALTER AND FREDERICK W. KEIN ER, OE EKASTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF HARDENING COPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,429, dated June 3,1902.

Application filed November 2, 1900. Serial No. 35,266. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, STANLEY LJVALTER and FREDERICK WV. KEINER, citizensof the United States, residing at Ekastown, in the county of Butler andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Process forHardening Copper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of treating copper whereby the sameis hardened.

The object of the invention is in a simple, thoroughly practical, andfeasible manner to effect intimate combination between copper andaluminium, the product being an alloy that shall be hard, resilient, andcapable of receiving and retaining a high finish.

A further object is to effect a perfect alloy of the two metals Withoutagitation or stirring while in a molten condition and without theemployment of a superposed flux as a reducing agent.

A further object is in a positive manner to prevent oxidation, wherebythe formation of the alloy is expedited and the perfect combination ofthe elements thereof is assured.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelprocess of hardening copper, as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In carrying out the process there is taken of the followingingredientsby weight: copper, thirty-two parts; aluminium, five parts; powderedcharcoal, one part. The aluminium and charcoal are first placed in asuitable crucible or furnace, and the copper is then added as asuperposed mass. Heat is then applied to the crucible to fuse themetals, causing ignition of the charcoal, the carbonicacid gas fromwhich passes upward through the copper, carrying off any moisturecontained in the metals and forming above the crucible a cushion ofhighly-heated gas that will operate effectively to preclude entrance ofatmospheric air to the crucible, thereby obviating any possibility ofoxidation of the metal, whereby an intimate combination thereof willensue. By reason of the fact that the copper is placed on top of thealuminium it will by its greater specific gravity and upon fusion sinkdown upon and become thoroughly combined or incorporated with thealuminium without requiring any mechanical agitation or stirring toproduce the required combination. The resulting alloy possessesqualities of toughness and closeness of fiber that will render itvaluable in arts requiring a metal possessing these qualities and theadded quality of being non-oxidizable in character.

In the practicable employment of the process a superior article ofhardened copper has been produced by employing the proportions of theingredients above stated; but it is to be understood that suchproportions may be varied-that is to say, a greater proportion ofaluminium to copper or ofcharcoal to both may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described method of hardening copper, which consists inplacing aluminium and charcoal in a crucible, supplying to the cruciblea superposed mass of copper, and then applying heat to the crucible,causing thereby combustion of the charcoal and generation ofcarbonic-acid gas which passes upward through the copper, carrying offany contained moisture in the metals and at the same time preventingoxidation thereof, whereby upon fusion of the metals, the copper, owingto its superior specific gravity, will intimately combine with thealuminium presenting thereby a hardened copper alloy.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

STANLEY L. WALTER. FREDERICK W. KEINER. 'Witnesses:

J. W. GARNER, MAY (3. GLADMOND.

